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Nina Blazon
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| The Queen's Mirror |
| Der Spiegel der Königin |
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Content: |
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Winter 1647: In the city of Uppsala, where Queen Christina and part of her court retinue are spending time at the bishop's residence, a golden medallion belonging to Ebba Sparre, a confidante of the queen, has disappeared. Elin, a 14 year old kitchen servant, finally finds the lost medallion in a place that no one would have suspected. When she tries to return it, however, she is accused of theft. Elin, usually reticent, defends herself, and Queen Christina takes notice of Elin's clever argumentation and willingness to state her opinion. Christina is reminded of herself and decides to take Elin with her to Stockholm. Elin is deeply impressed with the energetic young queen, who had taken over the throne three years earlier at the age of 21. She is also fascinated by strange rumors about the queen's prickly temperament and her relationship with Ebba Sparre. The winter journey to the royal city of Stockholm exposes Elin to a new and frighteningly strange world. In Stockholm, Elin takes part in the glamorous aspects of court life: festivals, horse races, ballet. She admires the queen and gains more and more confidence as she learns the ropes. She also encounters the Frenchman Henri, who returns her interest. Elin also becomes familiar with the political aspects of court life. Sweden is still at war on several fronts, and the queen is pulled in several directions within her own country. Christina corresponds with René Descartes and denounces orthodox Lutheranism in Sweden. She involves Eli in the establishment of a royal library, and the girl meets contemporary philosophers and scientists. Christina is also under pressure in her private life. The love of her youth, Carl Gustav, commander of the Swedish forces in Germany, insists she honor a secret promise of marriage Christina gave him years ago. Christina, however, demands further time. The situation culminates when Christina invites Descartes to Sweden in order to teach her philosophy. Descartes becomes ill shortly thereafter and dies; Elin and the physician both agree that it looks like he was poisoned. The queen wants to drop the matter, but Elin and Henri investigate and believe to have uncovered the murderer. Surprisingly, the queen protects the suspect and orders Elin to keep silent about it forever. Elin leaves Stockholm to go to France with her beloved Henri, still very angry about her vow of silence, but confident that she is headed for a life of her own that promises greater freedom.
The combination of real and fictional figures frees the novel from the constraints of precise historical accuracy, but at the same time it conveys much of the flavor of the time period. This story is not only a historical novel, but a coming of age tale, a love story and a mystery all in one. |
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The Author: |
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Nina Blazon was born in Koper in 1969 and grew up in Neu-Ulm, in southern Germany. She studied Slavic and German language studies and taught at the universities of Tübingen and Saarbrücken. She first began to write during an internship in journalism. Today, Nina Blazon is a freelance journalist, author and writer working for the Stuttgarter Zeitung, among others. |
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Rights Sold: |
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Spanish Worldwide |
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